Door closer



W. F. MOORE DOOR CLOSER July 28, 1931.

Filed Nov. 8, 1928 w Ha H.

h N a INVENTOR.

I .hKF/WOORE. BY

ATTORNEY.

Fatented July 2 8, 1931 PATENT OFFICE WALLACE. r. MOORE", or NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN HARDWARE CORPORATION, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION. OF

CONNECTICUT noon CLOSER Application filed November s, 1928. Serial No. 317,892.

My invention relates to door closers, and has special reference to such devices that are particularly adapted foruse on safety doors, whereby when the temperature of a room in which the device is installed reaches a predetermined degree the door will close automatically. v v V The object of the invention is to generally improve safety-door closers heretofore proposed, as will hereinafter appear.

The several features of the invention,

, whereby this and other objects may be attained, will be clearly understood from the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1is a side elevation, partly in section, of a door closer embodying the features of the invention in their preferred form, shown applied to a door and door frame or casing, the door being shown open;

- Fig. 2 is a plan View, on a reduced scale, of a portion of the door closer;

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional plan view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view corresponding to a portion of Fig. 1 but showing a portion of the holdback device of the door closer in difierent positions; Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1; and I Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 66 of Fig. 1. The door closer illustrated in the drawings isshown' applied to a door case or frame 2 and a door 4, the door being shown open. The door closer comprises the usual casing 6 which is secured to the door, and a spring actuated door closing arm 8 which is connected by a loop 10, a connecting rod 12 and a'bracket 14;, to the door frame. The spring actuated arm 8 carries a double detent or pawl 16 for engagement with the teeth of a ratchet wheel 18 connected to the door clos ing spring in the usual manner. A ring 20 is adjustably secured to the upper end of the casing 6 and carries a plate 22 having a pocket 24. This pocket 24 is adapted to receive a downwardly spring pressed detent '26 carried by the spring actuated arm 8, and

when the detent is received in said pocket point.

and its spring isunder tension itis adapted to hold the door open. As shown, this detent comprises a ball which isreceived in the lower end of a vertical aperture 28 in the spring actuated arm 8. The detent ball is pressed downwardly when in said pocket by means of a plunger 30 mounted in said aperture which in turn is acted upon by a coil spring 32 interposed between the upper end of. the plunger and a screw plug 34. The downwardly spring pressed plunger 30 is provided with a flange that engages a stop shoulder in said aperture 28 so as to limit the downward movement of the plunger so that when the ball 26 rides out ofits pocket and as it leaves the plate 22, it drops out of engagement with the lower end of the plunger and thus is permitted to rotate freely during the completion of the closing of the door. The door closer is further provided with thermally controlled means for releasing the tension of the detent spring 32 so as to rendersaid spring and its associated detent plunger 30 inoperative to hold the detentba ll 26 in its said pocket, and thus permits the spring actuated arm 8 to close the door when the temperature in a room reaches a predetermined degree. This meanscomprises a lever 36 mounted on the top side of the spring actuated arm 8. One end of this lever is provided with a recess 38 which loosely receives the upper end of a boss' lO on the arm 8, the aperture .28 extending through this boss. This recess 38 is provided with an aperture through which is screwthreaded the abutment plug 34: for the detent spring 32. The lever 36 is detachably fulcrumed on the arm 8 by means of an inwardly directed-tongue or lug 4E2 thereon which is received in a slot in the side of the boss 10. The outer end of the lever 36 is the two pieces overlapping and being secured together by solder of a low melting Except as hereinafter described, the parts above referred to may be and preferably are the same as the corresponding parts of the door closer described and claimed in appliheld down by means of a two piece fuse 1 1,

cants pending application, Ser. No. 299,172 filed August 13, 1928.

In accordance with the present invention, the fusible link 44, which is of a standard construction, is arranged vertically and has one end hooked loosely over a hook l6 projecting laterally from the outer end of the lever 36. The link extends downwardly through an enlarged. clearance open'ng 48 in the spring actuated arm 8, and its lower end is detachably secured to the arm 8 by means of a screw 50 which is screw-threaded into a depending lug on the lower side of said arm. The aperture in the fusible link through which the screw 50 extends is sub stantially larger than the shank of the screw, and this portion of the link is spaced from the head of the screw and a shoulder or boss on the lug 52.

The top side of the spring actuated arm 8 is provided with an upstanding lug 54 which has a recess 56 for receiving the outer end of the lever 36 when the device is in; normal position. The outer end of the lever 36 is provided with a shoulder 58 which engages the outer face of the lug 54-.

A post 60 is pivoted at its upper end in a recess in the under side of the lever 36. This post extends downwardly through an elongated aperture 61 in the in 8 and its lowe end is provided with erally pro ecting shoulders 62. The sides of the post 60 are flattened and are arranged closely adjacent the side walls of the aperture 61.

The abutment plug 8% provided with an outwardly projecting flange 64 on its upper end.

With this construction when the device is set for operation, the engagement of the end of the lever in the slot 56 of the lug prevents lateral movem nt ofthe lever 36 and maintains it parallel with the arm 8, and the engagement of the shoulder 58 on the end of the lever with the outer face of the lug 54C prevents forward movement of the lever 36 and thus prevents disengagement of the tongue and slot fulcrum of the lever. Such retaining means for he outer end of the lever 36 obviates the danger of dislodgment of parts ly i or shocks during the normal opening and closing of the door.

The fusible link is so mounted that it readily centers itself on the hook 46 and the screw 50 without binding. The enlarged opening 48 through which the fusible link extends provides for free circulation of air around the link, which insures quick action upon the temperature of a room reaching a predetermined degree.

The flange 64; on the upper end of the plug 34 prevents the plug from being screwed down so faras to cause the detent spring to exert too great a pulling strain on the fusible link.

\Vhen the fusible link 44 breaks, upon the temperature of a room reaching a predetermined degree, the detent spring 32 acts immediately to throw the lever 36 upwardly, about the axis of the fulcrum formed by the lug 42, with sutlicient force to cause the upper portion of the fuse to be thrown clear of the lever. As the lateral shoulder 62 on the post 60 strikes the underside of the arm 8 as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, the lever is forced forwardly a suflicient distance to disengage the fulcrum lug 42 from the upper wall of the slot in which it is received, the lever finally assuming substantially the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4. Thus upon the fuse breaking the holdback device virtually falls apart and the tension of the detent spring is immediately relieved, allowing the arm 8 to close the door. The laterally projecting shoulders 62 on the pivoted post 60 by engagement with the under side of the arm 8 prevent the lever 36 from falling to the floor, and the flat sides of the post 60 are so guided by the side walls of the elongated slot 61 as to prevent any material laterally swinging movement of the lever.

The fuse is so arranged that the two pieces thereof are pulled apart, and the loose mounting of the fuse as above described ensures proper separation thereof.

' To reset the device, it is merely necessary to re-engage the tongue or lug 4:2 in its slot, press the lever 36 down on the arm 36 and secure a new fuse in place as above described.

It will be apparent that the parts of the hold-back device are securely held inplace duringthe normal opening and closing of the door; that the device has no close fitting parts that are liable to be affected by corrosion so as not to operate properly after a long period of non-use; and that the device is of simple, strong and durable construction and presents no unsightly appearance.

As will be evident to those skilled in the art, my invention permits various modifications without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claimshat I claim is:

1. A door closer having, in combination, a. spring actuated door closing arm, a stop member, a cooperating detent carried by said arm and adapted to engage said stop member when the door is open, a spring for maintaining said detent in holding engagement with said stop member to hold the door open when said spring is under tension, a lever having one end fulcrumed on said armadapted to be swung toward and from said arm about the axis of its fulcrum, a fusible link having one end detachably connected with the other end of said lever and its other end detachably secured to the under side of said arm, said arm having a. clearance opening through which the link extends, and an abutment on said lever for holdingsaid spring under tension whereby upon breaking of said fusible link the tension of said spring is relieved.

2. A door closer having, in combination, a spring actuated door closing arm, a stop member, a cooperating detent carried by said arm and adapted to engage said stop member when the door is open, a spring for maintaining said detent in holding engagement with said stop member to hold the door open when said spring is under tension, a lever having one end fulcrumed on said arm adapted to be swung toward and from said arm about the axis of its fulcrum, the other end of said lever being provided with an upwardly projecting hook member, and said arm being provided with a clearance opening beneath said hook member, a fusible link having one end hooked over said hook member and extending downwardly through said clearance opening, a screw for detachably securing the lower end of said link to the under side of said arm, and an abutment on said lever for holding said spring under tension whereby upon breaking of said fusible link the tension of said spring is relieved.

3. In a door closer provided with a spring actuated door closing arm, a stop member, a detent carried by said arm and adapted to engage said stop member when the door is opened, a spring for maintaining said detent in holding engagement with said stop member to hold the door open when said spring is under tension, a lever having a tongue and slot connection with said arm providing a detachable pivotal connection at the inner end of said arm, thermally controlled means detachably connecting the other end of said lever with said arm, and an abutment on said lever for holding said spring under tension whereby upon breaking of said thermal con nection the tensionof said spring is relieved, the improvement which consists in the outer end portion of'said lever and said arm being provided with cooperating shoulders for normally holding the lever from displacement in a direction to disengage said tongue and slot connection.

4;. In a door closer provided with a spring actuated door closing arm, a stop member, a

vdetent carried by said arm and adapted to engage said stop member when the door is opened, a spring for maintaining said detent in holding engagement with said stop member to hold the door open when said spring is under tension, a lever having a tongue and slot connection with said arm providing a detachable pivotal connection at the inner end of said arm, thermally controlled means detachably connecting the other end of said lever with said arm, and an abutment on said lever for holding said spring under tension whereby upon breaking said thermal connection the tension of said spring is relieved, the improvement which consists in a slot in the upper portion of said arm for retachably connecting and an abutment on said I ceiving the outer end portion of said lever to normally hold the outer end of the lever from lateral movement.

5. In a door closer provided with a spring actuated door closing arm, a stop member, a detent carried by said arm and adapted to engage said stop member when the door is opened, a spring for maintaining said detent in holding engagement with said stop member to hold the door open when said spring is under tension, a lever having a tongue and slot connection with said arm providing a detachable pivotal connection at the inner end of said arm, thermally controlled means dethe other end of said lever with said arm, lever for holding said spring under tension whereby upon breaking said thermal connection the tension of said spring is relieved, the improvement which comprises a post pivotally connected at its upper endto said lever and an elongated slot in said armthrough which said post extends, said post having fiat sides arranged closely adjacent the longitudinal sides of said slot, and the lower end of said post having laterally projecting shoulders adapted to engage the under side of said arm to limit the upward movement of the adjacent portion of said lever when said thermally controlled means is broken.

6., In a door closer having a member carrying a stop fixed thereto, a spring actuated door closing arm carried by said member and movable relatively to said stop, said-arm havingja vertical aperture therein, a detent within the lower end portion of said aperture and adapted to engage said stop member when the door is open, a coiled spring within said aperture engaging the upper portion of said detent to hold said detent in engagement with said stop member to hold the door open when said spring is under tension, and a screwthreaded plug forming an abutment to hold said spring under tension, the improvement which consists in the upper end of said plug having an outwardly projecting flange for limiting the distance said plug may be screwed downwardly so as to limit the degree of tension that may be placed on said spring.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 5th day of November, 1928.

. WALLACE F. MOORE. 

